GB News host Nana Akua took aim at Richard Morley, deputy leader of the Rejoin EU campaign, in a fiery debate over the UK’s relationship with the EU.
“We voted to leave,” she said, insisting that any deal tying the hands of the next Government would be unacceptable and risked the UK effectively rejoining the EU “through the back door.”
The comments come as it has been revealed Brussels is pushing for a special clause in its Brexit reset talks with Sir Keir Starmer that would force any future British Government to pay substantial financial compensation if they walked away from the deal.
EU diplomats have nicknamed this provision the "Farage clause", because it is designed as insurance against the possibility of the Reform UK leader entering Downing Street and tearing up Sir Keir's efforts to move closer to the bloc.
Speaking about this on The People's Channel, Nana Akua said: "Nigel Farage has said that no Government should bind its successor.
"What are your thoughts on that? Because it does seem a little fair. People voted to leave.
"To many, this will feel like we are effectively rejoining the EU on one side of the trade deal, which might be fine, but we don’t have any control over what we’re actually signing up to or for how long."
Mr Morley: "Well, there are a couple of points here. First, we must remember that although Britain made a referendum decision by a very narrow margin nearly ten years ago, for the last four or five years there has been a substantial majority in every single poll taken, even by Brexit-supporting newspapers.
Nana Akua took aim at Richard Morley
|GB NEWS
"Let’s also consider it from a purely contractual perspective. Obviously, Nigel Farage isn’t a lawyer, but if you’re negotiating a contract with a company, for example, and the CEO changes, the company is still bound by the contract signed by the previous CEO.
"It’s exactly the same with international treaties between nations. If a country withdraws from an agreement, like any other contract, there has to be compensation for those who suffer from what is effectively a breach of contract.
"The EU has said that the costs involved in setting up various elements of the new agricultural deal — which this has been based upon are significant.
"If Britain were to suddenly leave shortly after it has been set up, all that money would be wasted, and the EU expects compensation.
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EU diplomats are calling it a Farage clause | NIGEL FARAGE/X"I don’t think there’s anything unreasonable or unusual about that in contractual or international law.
Nana fired back: "Well, there have also been huge polls showing that Keir Starmer has only 16 per cent of the vote share as Labour leader, and many people want him to step down.
"Does that mean everyone is going to take notice? Many of these polls, in my view, may not fully reflect what people really think.
"But the bottom line is that we voted to leave the EU. Many would argue that when a Government leaves office, there are certain deals that it shouldn’t carry over to the next Parliament.
"Why can’t Keir Starmer, if he really wants to sign this deal, do so only until the end of this Parliament? He shouldn’t bind the British people into something they already voted against.
"Many would see this as a way of rejoining through the back door."
Mr Morley responded: "Well, one has to ask how long a referendum vote holds validity when it’s quite clear that the majority of people in the country now wish to reverse it.
"You can’t simply say that a vote from ten years ago still stands unchanged. Times change, people change their opinions, and the British public have clearly done so."